A good amount of freshly steamed crabs or crab legs makes for a delicious meal. These crustaceans are not difficult to cook, they are high in protein and low in saturated fat. You don't need a lot of time or even special equipment to prepare them for steaming; on top of that, it is also the healthiest way to eat them.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Preparing the Crabs for Cooking
Step 1. Keep them in the cold.
You can cook them alive or frozen (in this case it is just the legs); however, try to get them alive if possible because they are tastier. If you plan not to cook them right away, store them at low temperatures, regardless of whether they are alive or frozen. You can use a camping fridge filled with ice or cold packs.
- Store them in the cold until it is time to steam them; if they are alive, place them in a container of ice.
- Alternatively, you can cover them with a towel or jute cloth soaked in salt water and then pour ice over the fabric; in this way, the crustaceans should remain cold. Do not store them in water, as they could die from lack of oxygen.
Step 2. Clean them before or after cooking them
If you've opted for fresh crabs (such as Pacific crab or grapsus grapsus), you should clean them up before or after cooking them; professional cooks follow both methods.
- Remove the crustacean abdomen by detaching it from the swimming appendages found on the lower part; it is the triangular piece of shell near the tail. For this, you can use your hands or help yourself with a knife.
- Remove the carapace (the "back" of the crab) by inserting your thumb through the hole left after removing the abdomen. Lift it up firmly; the shell should detach with all internal organs.
- Remove the spongy, leaf-shaped gills on the sides of the animal and throw them away.
Step 3. Rinse them before cooking
You can prepare many different types of crabs, although cooking times vary by species. Remember to keep the trays for raw specimens separate from those for cooked shellfish, to avoid cross-contamination.
- You have to wash away the green-brown entrails. Break off the mouth areas on both sides and throw them away before turning the crustacean upside down; hold it sideways and place your thumbs along the midline of your back.
- Break off the carapace in the center, pushing with your thumbs and pulling with the rest of your fingers. You can do this in reverse by cooking the crabs first and cleaning them later.
Step 4. Thaw frozen crab legs
You can cook both live crustaceans and frozen legs you bought at the supermarket; in this second case, you just need to heat them following a simple procedure.
- A portion of legs usually weighs between 225 and 450 g; to thaw them, transfer them to the refrigerator for a minimum of 8 hours, but no more than two days before cooking.
- You should store them in an airtight, waterproof container so that they defrost without making the entire refrigerator dirty.
Part 2 of 3: Prepare the Pot for Steaming
Step 1. Use a tall pot
Avoid shallow pans or saucepans, as you could get very dirty in the kitchen; the ideal is a 6 liter pot.
- A sturdy pot or a tall and capacious steamer is fine; you also need a steamer basket or shelf to keep the crabs separate from the boiling liquid. You can buy both of these elements or make a shelf with aluminum foil. The goal is to cook the crabs with the steam rising, without them touching the boiling liquid below.
- A steamer is a pot made up of two elements; the lower one is filled with water or cooking liquid, while the upper one has a perforated bottom and must contain the food. If you don't have a steamer, you can improvise with a pot and a circular shelf to rest inside it, so that it supports the crabs during cooking.
Step 2. Add the liquid
The water is perfect for both live crabs and pre-cooked legs, but if you want to follow the traditional recipe of Maryland fishermen, you should use beer and vinegar; also add about 40 g of salt.
- All you need is two cans of cheap beer and an equal amount of apple or white vinegar; some people also add bay leaves. If you have opted for water, use half a liter and dissolve about 15 g of salt in it. Some recipes involve the use of spices to be incorporated into beer or water (such as salt, vinegar, chillies, lime or coriander).
- Pour about 2 inches of liquid into the bottom of the pan, just enough for it to steam as it boils. You can also use 250 ml of water with the same vinegar; the water must not exceed the level of the basket. Once everything is prepared, boil the cooking liquid.
Step 3. Place the crabs in the pot
You should use pliers for this, especially if the animals are still alive; arrange about 3 or 4 on the basket.
- Cover them with a mixture of spices, add another layer of crabs and season these too; close the pan with the lid and continue cooking. You can find tons of spice mix recipes online.
- It is mostly a matter of taste, but celery salt, dry mustard, cumin, black pepper, rock salt and nutmeg are generally used; you can also buy a specific flavor blend for crabs at any supermarket.
Part 3 of 3: Steaming the Crabs
Step 1. Respect the correct cooking times
These depend on the size of the crustaceans, their number and the pot you are using.
- Generally, the legs are ready in 4-8 minutes; do not cook those that are still frozen, because in this case it would take a very long cooking time, but you would ruin them, as they are pre-cooked. The crustaceans are ready when the carapace turns reddish-orange. You should check them often during the process; once cooked, they should be hot and spread their scent.
- If you are making several crabs, change the liquid between batches and make sure you are not overcooking them. The steaming technique does not take long and the overcooked crab meat does not taste good; for example, specimens of the Pacific crab variety are ready in 18-20 minutes.
- Some types, such as king crabs, need longer times, around 20-30 minutes, while a whole Pacific crab is cooked after 10-20 minutes.
Step 2. Remove them from the pot using a second pair of kitchen tongs
It's important not to use the same pair that you grabbed live and raw crustaceans with.
- If you are not careful, you risk contaminating cooked food; arrange cooked crabs on a large tray, newspaper covered table, or other protected surface.
- Sprinkle them with a light layer of seasoning for fish dishes, tie the shellfish "bib" around the neck and enjoy!
Step 3. Make a butter sauce to go with them
A delicious way to taste these crustaceans is to dress them with melted butter and lemon wedges; you may also need pliers to break the shells.
- Boil 250 g of butter in a saucepan over medium heat for about a minute and wait for the fat to stabilize.
- After a few minutes, remove the layer of protein that has formed on the surface using a spoon and pour the rest into a bowl.
- Break the claws in half along the joint. If possible, use a shellfish hammer and tap the shell to break it apart and serve the crab meat.
Advice
- If possible, cook them while they are still alive, the taste is better!
- Be careful not to overcook them.
